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Uhuru, Ruto shake hands for the first time in 3 years as Raila skips National Prayer Breakfast

Published

10 months ago

May 26, 2022

It was the first time in three years for President Uhuru Kenyatta and his estranged Deputy William Ruto to shake hands in public. This happened on Thursday moments after the latter humbled himself before his boss and asked for forgiveness.

Speaking during the 19th national prayer breakfast, the DP said he wanted the country to go into the August 9 General Election without grudges among leaders or among Kenyans.

To this end, he said, he had forgiven those who might have wronged him.

“I also know that in this journey, many people have hurt me but in this prayer breakfast, I forgive everybody. I want us to go into this election free of the debt of heart and free of the debt of forgiveness,” said DP Ruto.

Unlike in political rallies where DP Ruto has, with unbridled bravado, been taking his boss head-on on programmes the Jubilee administration has rolled out, he conceded that he might have fallen short of President Kenyatta’s expectations for the last 10 years, and asked to be forgiven for it.

“I also know that as serving as a Deputy President, I may have fallen short of the expectations of my boss President Uhuru Kenyatta. My good friend, I ask for your forgiveness,” said Dr Ruto.

“We are all human beings and the Bible says that we have fallen short. Where we have fallen short to all, I ask for forgiveness and all those who have wronged me, I forgive you with a clean heart so that we can transition into the next phase minus any debt from anybody,” he added.

Ruto also asked Kenyans for forgiveness for the failures of the Jubilee administration for the last 10 years, admitting that they had let down the people.

“As people of Kenya, we have failed you in certain aspects because we have not been united as we should be, we have failed in some areas. We ask, and specifically myself, I ask for your forgiveness,” he said.

Ruto also promised that whatever the outcome of August 9 polls, peace will continue to prevail and if his side is defeated, they will concede, something he expects of his main challenger in the Azimio la Umoja Kenya Coalition.

“There is a lot of anxiety about what will happen with the elections. We will do everything possible within our power to make sure that the elections are peaceful. We will go out of our way,” he said.

But when he rose to speak, President Kenyatta did not respond directly, only saying that he wishes all the best to those who are vying for various positions in the forthcoming general election.

“I do hope Mheshimiwa William Ruto’s prayers come true. I hope to enjoy a lot of peace in years to come, na tutakuwa tunaonana huko mbele,” he said.